This is one of three profiles of Virginia’s 5th Congressional District candidates vying for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Don’t settle for good, it’s time for the best,” reads Dan Moy’s website. He is challenging incumbent Representative Bob Good to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.
More than a riff on his opponent’s name, Moy presents himself as an alternative candidate more in line with Glenn Youngkin, Virginia’s governor — calling Youngkin a “blueprint” for Republican success.
“This wasn’t by stoking fear and it wasn’t about blaming everyone else for our problems,” his website reads. “It’s about Republicans showing how we are going to make Virginia a better place to live, work and raise a family.”
Read more about incumbent Republican Rep. Bob Good.
Read about the Democratic Congressional candidate Josh Thorneburg.
Charlottesville Tomorrow made multiple unsuccessful attempts to coordinate an interview with Moy over the past month. We also sent his team questions by email asking for clarity on how policy stances from Moy’s campaign website would be implemented and have not received a response at the time of this publication.
This profile was written using Moy’s campaign website and reviewing other media coverage.
A former military veteran of 27 years, one issue Moy takes issue with his Republican opponent is Good’s vote against the National Defense Authorization Act last December.
The budget bill, which is voted on annually, funds various expenses for the U.S. Military. At the time of his dissenting vote, Good released a statement that called language requiring COVID-19 vaccines for servicemembers “unconstitutional.”
“My opponent has been missing in action when it comes to working on renewing our local economy. He’s been missing in action when it comes to standing strong on national security and national defense,” Moy said in a May 4 Facebook video titled, “Why I’m running against Bob Good.”
“Securing a strong national defense” is one of Moy’s goals. His site reads that he is “uniquely positioned to speak to this and ensure that we are safe both at home and abroad as our enemies become bolder.”
Congressmen impact such issues by pushing for legislation related to the military and foreign affairs — like the annual defense budget bills, Congressional approval of war declarations, or aid to foreign countries.
Moy and Good are similar in that they both proclaim their Christian faith and support anti-abortion policies. Moy hopes to defund organizations like Planned Parenthood, a reproductive health organization that performs the procedures, and to “promote adoption.”
Moy’s website contains a section titled “championing individual liberty” that broadly fits with conservative agendas but does not delineate how his goals would translate into legislation.
“Radical leftists are trying to gain control over our lives, control our businesses, and undermine our religious freedom,” Moy writes. “I will always stand between you and those who want to control your faith, livelihood, personal decisions, and businesses.”
According to Moy’s site, he wants to battle rising inflation and bolster both manufacturing jobs and vocational training in the 5th District’s Southside. He says that will be a “top priority” for him.
Moy’s site also states that he will defend the constitution’s Second Amendment and support law enforcement.
Echoing a campaign statement from Gov. Youngkin that also emerged amid school curriculum debates in the past year, Moy’s site reads “Schools should teach children how to think, not what to think.” Moy said he will support “keeping political agendas out” of schools.”
Before his involvement in politics, Moy served in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years. He deployed in Afghanistan and worked in the U.S. Pentagon before retiring in 2016.
He went on to earn his Master’s in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. According to his LinkedIn page, Moy has served as a lecturer at the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Public Policy.
Moy also serves as chairman of the Charlottesville Republican Committee. Originally he supported the representative’s 2020 campaign before his opinion of Good turned bad.
“If I thought our current congressman was doing a great job, I wouldn’t be doing this,” Moy was quoted as saying in a May 8 Washington Post article.
By 2021, Moy had become a regional leader for Youngkin’s veteran coalition, a consortium of veterans who advocate for and organize around veteran-related issues in politics. Likewise, Moy’s own campaign has a veteran’s coalition.
During Youngkin’s 2021 gubernatorial campaign, the governor successfully won over Donald Trump’s base without alienating Republican Party members who were turned off by the former president. Youngkin’s style and politics are considered by pundits as a roadmap for other Republicans who were unwilling to adopt Trump-style politicking.
Moy appears to be modeling himself after Youngkin, whose campaign he supported through his role as chairman of Charlottesville GOP and service on Youngkin’s veteran’s coalition.
By contrast, Good continues to embrace Trump.
More than referring to Youngkin as a “blueprint” on his campaign website, Moy stated that he would “ensure” Youngkin’s plans for Virginia are supported in Congress.
Getting down to the basics of what representatives do, Moy promises that he will listen to his constituents.
“It is not enough to simply vote right on issues,” his site reads. “I am running to listen to your needs and fight for YOU in DC. I will always be receptive, caring and responsive to your needs and concerns as YOUR representative in the United States Congress.”
